I hope your new year has started well and you are all resuming your lives, reigniting friendships face-to-face and supporting your local Life Activities Club as they get all their activities up and running again?

Many of us have been touched by the death of a loved one or friend over the last two years and it reminds us that we’re not getting any younger and perhaps we should plan ahead. Making things easier for our loved ones to manage our demise is a gift we can give them while we are well and able to organise it all. Taking stock of a loved one’s belongings when they die can be an immense task, even if they have prepared instructions. In this issue of Life News we touch on some important matters to help you get organised: from making a Will, to appointing a Power of Attorney and to thinking about your Digital Legacy.

Then to think about our current health in terms of our senses, particularly sight, hearing and skin, along with some favourite recipes from the editorial team to keep your tastebuds on high alert!

We have recently had advise from the government that the Seniors Festival will be held in-person once again this October, so we are planning lots of promotional activities for our organisation. We will once again have a marque along River Walk at Federation Square on Celebration day and are planning multiple walks throughout the month. A booklet will be published in the next month or so with all the activities.

Best wishes for an active and healthy winter.

Kath Frowen
President - Life Activities Clubs Victoria Inc.

LACVI's new Board member

John Tapper lives in Harcourt, having moved around Victoria after a varied life in five countries over the last thirty years. Recently returning from Vietnam where he lived five years and established two businesses, mostly mentoring and coaching young entrepreneurs throughout Central Vietnam, he is now semi-retired with some business and social interests.

Educated in Agriculture and Business, Sydney and Philadelphia, he has an extensive business background plus an artistic side that still flourishes in paint, words and music. Three children, and now three grandchildren, all living overseas like he did.

John’s interests in ageing and living, particularly the emotional and mental state changes, have bought him to LACV to make some contribution and energise the process of acceptance and rejection of stereotypes in order that living in ‘the last quarter’ can be rewarding and fulfilling.

John rides a bike daily, works hard at not failing or falling, and hopes his time on the board brings some input and comment.

Job Opportunities

Life Activities Clubs Victoria Inc. (LACVI) is seeking committed and passionate individuals to join its Board. Skills in: Social Media; Marketing; Human Resources; Corporate Partnerships; Government Relations; Strategy; and Risk & Governance have been identified as areas to complement the current Board skillset and will be highly regarded.

Role: General Board Member. The Board may allocate specific project oversight or alignment to a pillar of the strategic plan to board members, to recognise any special skills a person brings to the Board.

Payment: Nil - honorary role Period of Appointment: the period is up until the August 2022 AGM, where members may then be
re-elected.

Current Board Size: 5 - with provision in the constitution for up to 11.
Board Meetings: Are held on week-days every 6-8 weeks (minimum of 6-8 per year), the location currently varies between the LACVI office at 50 Queen St in Melbourne and/or online via Zoom.

Member Club Council Meetings (frequency): Once per quarter.

AGM: Once a year.

Further information and application form can be found in the news section of our webiste www.revolutionise.com.au/lacvi/news/

Wills - Do it yourself or get help

Your will is often your last message to your loved ones. No matter how straightforward your situation is, having a will makes sure everyone understands what you’d like done with your estate after your passing. Don’t put it off any longer – while it may be something you don’t want to think about, preparing your will can take a lot of stress off your family members.

What type of will do I need?
The State Trustees Online Will or DIY Will Kit are great choices if your estate affairs are straightforward. However, if your situation is more complex you may need the help of a professional, such as a State Trustees will writer, to get your will right.

Are your circumstances simple or complex?

Who gets your Cloud storage when you die?

With so much of our collected things now living online in some server somewhere belonging to ‘big tech’ getting to it all without the owner’s fingerprints or passwords can be particularly difficult.

Some platforms are beginning to build in tools that let you stipulate what happens to your stuff in the event of your death. However, it’s best to also put important codes and passwords in a safe place where your next of kin will be able to find them.

Apple: Apple recently rolled out it’s Digital Legacy feature. In the privacy settings of an Apple device, you can nominate a ‘legacy contact’ to receive a special code. If you die, they can send this code with a death certificate to Apple to receive access to everything you have stored in iCloud; photos, notes, mail, contacts, calendars, files, memos, health data, device backups and more. Currently there is no way to choose specific data to go to specific people. One limitation is that if your iPhone is protected by a passcode, they will need that code as well. The tech giant is just the latest to offer an official legacy program, and there are others you should be aware of when it comes to getting your computerised affairs in order.

Facebook: Facebook works a bit differently in that it’s designed to ‘memorialise’ an account when a person dies, leaving their profile and media online but not allowing any changes to be made. In settings you can choose to have your account deleted if you die or appoint a legacy contact to curate the memorialised profile.

Google: Google offers a very robust system with its Inactive Account Manager, although unlike Apple it is wholly automated and doesn’t require verification of a death certificate. You choose when the system will kick in (ie. three months after you stop using your account), who gets access to your stuff and exactly what kind of data each person gets. You can also choose for the data to be purged from Google’s servers at the end.

LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram: Will work with an executor or next of kin to remove an account but will not hand over login information.

Microsoft: Microsoft notably does not have a digital legacy program at all, it simply deletes accounts after two years of inactivity.

An edited excerpt from an article by Tim Biggs (The Sunday Age 16 January 2022, News p.g.15).

Thinking about an Enduring Power of Attorney?

What is an enduring power of attorney?

An enduring power of attorney is a legal document that lets you appoint someone to make decisions about personal matters (such as where you live) or financial matters (such as paying bills) or both. This person is called an attorney. The power endures - or continues - if and when you are unable to make decisions.

You can limit the power to cover only specific matters, and you can choose when the powers start. Your attorney cannot make medical treatment decisions for you unless they are also your medical treatment decision maker.

Note: You can only make an enduring power of attorney for yourself, you cannot make one on behalf of someone else.

What happens if you don’t make an enduring power of attorney?

Important: You should only make an enduring power of attorney if there is someone you trust, who understands what is important to you, and is willing and able to act on your wishes as far as it is possible to do so. Otherwise, you shouldn’t make an enduring power of attorney.

If you don’t appoint anyone, and are unable to make a decision when it needs to be made, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) can appoint someone to make the decision, such as the Public Advocate or a trustee company.

How to choose an attorney

If you choose to appoint an attorney, it’s vital you choose the right person or persons. This is because you are giving them the power to make important decisions for you at a vulnerable time of your life.

You need to choose someone you trust to stand in your place and make the decision you would make for yourself if you had capacity. They should be unlikely to die before you, and be willing, able and available at the time a decision may need to be made.

You can appoint more than one attorney.

What happens when you appoint more than one attorney?

If you appoint more than one attorney, you should specify how you want them to make decisions. You may appoint your alternative attorneys to act:

• jointly — they must make decisions together (and all sign any document)
• jointly and severally — they can make decisions together or independently (for example, either all sign any document, or one attorney alone can sign any document)
• severally — they can make decisions independently (and one attorney alone can sign any document).

You should ensure that whatever you decide will be a workable arrangement.

More information and forms:
www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au/your-rights/enduring-power-of-attorney/making-a-power-of-attorney

If you cannot access online, phone the Office of the Public Advocate on: 1300 309 337

To get a better understanding, below are two easy to read documents.

As we get older, age-related changes to our vision can happen so gradually that it can be easy not to notice them, even when those around us do.

How does ageing impact the eyes?

Ageing impacts our eyes in a number of ways. As you get older, your eyelids can begin to lose structural support, causing them to droop and the eyes to appear sunken. This new position of the eyelids can make the eyes particularly sensitive, leading to watery eyes in some older people. Sometimes, watering eyes is a sign of dry eye syndrome, with the eyes producing excess tears to compensate.

Poor eyesight is one of the most common impacts of ageing in the eyes. Changes to the lens of your eye and a weakening of the eye muscles can lead to a change in how well you can see. Conditions such as myopia (short-sightedness) and hyperopia (long-sightedness), and presbyopia (loss of near vision) become more likely with age, which is why many people need to start wearing glasses as they get older.

Ageing can also impact the overall health of our eyes, leading to a number of common eye conditions. Cataracts and glaucoma are often considered old age eye problems because they naturally progress over time due to a build-up of environmental reasons (in the case of cataracts) as well as internal and genetic factors.

The ageing process also affects the structures at the back of the eyes (including the retina and macula), which are responsible for how well we see and form images. As these parts age, many older adults are more prone to developing conditions like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy (if they already have diabetes).

Signs of eye problems in elderly people.

Many age-related eye conditions don’t have any visible symptoms as they tend to develop over time. Sometimes, even the person experiencing them doesn’t notice because vision changes can happen gradually.

If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, or notice them in an older friend or relative, it’s important to book an eye test to have them investigated further.

In most cases, the earlier an age-related eye condition is recognised, the quicker it can be treated and prevented from developing any further.

Make sure your glasses prescription is up-to-date and you have regular eye examinations with an optometrist, especially if you’re aged 60 or older.

Source: www.specsavers.co.uk/home-eye-tests/signs-of-old-age-eye-problems

Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults

Hearing loss is a common problem caused by noise, aging, disease, and heredity. People with hearing loss may find it hard to have conversations with friends and family. They may also have trouble understanding a doctor’s advice, responding to warnings, and hearing doorbells and alarms.

Approximately one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and nearly half of those older than 75 has difficulty hearing. But, some people may not want to admit they have trouble hearing.

Older people who can’t hear well may become depressed, or they may withdraw from others because they feel frustrated or embarrassed about not understanding what is being said. Sometimes, older people are mistakenly thought to be confused, unresponsive, or uncooperative because they don’t hear well.

Hearing problems that are ignored or untreated can get worse. If you have a hearing problem, see your doctor. Hearing aids, special training, certain medicines, and surgery are some of the treatments that can help.

Types of Hearing Loss

Age-Related Hearing Loss (Presbycusis)

Presbycusis, or age-related hearing loss, comes on gradually as a person gets older. It seems to run in families and may occur because of changes in the inner ear and auditory nerve. Presbycusis may make it hard for a person to tolerate loud sounds or to hear what others are saying. Age-related hearing loss usually occurs in both ears, affecting them equally. The loss is gradual, so someone with presbycusis may not realize that he or she has lost some of his or her ability to hear.

Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus)

Tinnitus is also common in older people. It is typically described as ringing in the ears, but it also can sound like roaring, clicking, hissing, or buzzing. It can come and go. It might be heard in one or both ears, and it may be loud or soft. Tinnitus is sometimes the first sign of hearing loss in older adults. Tinnitus can accompany any type of hearing loss and can be a sign of other health problems, such as high blood pressure, allergies, or as a side effect of medications. Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease. Something as simple as a piece of earwax blocking the ear canal can cause tinnitus, but it can also be the result of a number of health conditions.

Causes of Hearing Loss

Loud noise is one of the most common causes of hearing loss. Earwax or fluid buildup can block sounds that are carried from the eardrum to the inner ear. A punctured ear drum can also cause hearing loss. Health conditions common in older people, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, can contribute to hearing loss. Viruses and bacteria (including the ear infection otitis media), a heart condition, stroke, brain injury, or a tumour may also affect your hearing. Hearing loss can also result from taking certain medications. “Ototoxic” medications damage the inner ear, sometimes permanently.

Check with your doctor if you notice a problem while taking a medication. Heredity can cause hearing loss, as well. If you are having hearing difficulties – seek advice. Each year technology improves and just because someone else has trouble with hearing aids or your existing hearing aids do not serve your needs, you must keep trying to find the solution that’s right for you.

Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults

HOW’S YOUR HEARING?

Let me share with you a story of my sister-in-law who for most of her life was deaf in her left ear. As she aged she started having hearing loss in her right ear.

This made family gatherings and eating out nearly impossible. Her Doctor referred her to a Hearing Loss Professional near where she lived. New technology meant that she had a hearing aid with a microphone in her left ear transmitting the spoken words to a hearing aid in her right ear. This was so successful she nearly had an accident driving home because everyday noises were such a shock to her system. Because she is a pensioner she only had to pay about $800 plus a yearly cost to cover the batteries.

She wishes she had looked into this earlier, but as I said each year technology improves and just because your existing hearing aids do not serve your needs, you must keep trying to find the solution for you.

HOW’S YOUR HEARING IS A SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT QUESTION.

By Sue Van Gerrevink, LACVI Secretary

Spanakopita (Greek Spinach and Feta Pie)

By Deb Fitrolakis, Business Coordinator

Our ageing skin

Your skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, and no longer looks as plump and smooth as it once did. Scratches, cuts, or bumps can take longer to heal. There are things you can do to protect your skin and to make it feel and look better.

Dry Skin and Itching
Many older people suffer from dry spots on their skin, often on their lower legs, elbows, and lower arms. Dry skin patches feel rough and scaly. There are many possible reasons for dry skin, such as: not drinking enough liquids, too long in the sun, being in very dry air, smoking, stress, loss of sweat and oil glands, which is common with age. Health problems, such as diabetes or kidney disease. Using too much soap, antiperspirant, or perfume and taking hot baths can make dry skin worse. Some medicines can make skin itchy.

Here are some ways to help dry, itchy skin: use moisturisers, like lotions, creams, or ointments, every day, take fewer baths or showers and use milder soap. Warm water is less drying than hot water. Don’t add bath oil to your water as it can make the tub too slippery.

Bruises
Older people may bruise more easily than younger people. Some medicines or illnesses may also cause bruising. Talk to your doctor if you see bruises and don’t know how you got them, especially on parts of your body usually covered by clothing.

Wrinkles
Over time, skin begins to wrinkle. Things in the environment, like ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun, can make the skin less elastic. Gravity can cause skin to sag and wrinkle. Certain habits, like smoking, can also wrinkle the skin. Prevention is the key!

Age Spots and Skin Tags
Age spots, once called “liver spots,” are flat, brown spots often caused by years in the sun. They are bigger than freckles and commonly show up on areas like the face, hands, arms, back, and feet. Using a broad-spectrum sunscreen that helps protect against two types of the sun’s rays (UVA and UVB) may prevent more age spots.

Skin tags are small, usually flesh-coloured growths of skin that have a raised surface. They become common as people age, especially for women. They are most often found on the eyelids, neck, and body folds such as the armpit, chest, and groin.

Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is a very common type of cancer in Australia. The main cause of skin cancer is the sun. Anyone, of any skin colour, can get skin cancer. People with fair skin that freckles easily are at greatest risk. Skin cancer may be cured if it is found before it spreads to other parts of the body.
There are three types of skin cancers. Two types, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, grow slowly and rarely spread to other parts of the body. These types of cancer are usually found on parts of the skin most often exposed to the sun, like the head, face, neck, hands, and arms. But they can happen anywhere on your body. The third and most dangerous type of skin cancer is melanoma. It is rarer than the other types, but it can spread to other organs and be deadly.

Check your skin once a month for things that may be signs of cancer. Skin cancer is rarely painful. Look for changes such as a new growth, a sore that doesn’t heal, or a bleeding mole. See your doctor or dermatologist if you have any concerns.

Keep Your Skin Healthy
Some sun can be good for you, but to keep your skin healthy, be careful: limit time in the sun, use sunscreen, wear protective clothing, avoid tanning.

Your skin may change with age. But remember, there are things you can do to help. Check your skin often. If you find any changes that worry you, see your doctor.

Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/skin-care-and-aging

‘Physical loneliness can derange a person.’  - Helen Garner

As someone who has felt both conditions, like most, and from kindergarten to the present, it is both interesting and helpful to be aware of the connection but not the similarity of being alone or being lonely.

And as energy erodes or just leaves, as do many friends and acquaintances, it is clear to me that handling one and keeping the two apart is, perhaps not a remedy but is clearly a method to avoid both a depression and a sense of not existing; being invisible is a state not a reality!

Being alone, successfully, requires the conversation with self to not be measured by comparison or the neediness of outside reinforcement that life is worthwhile.

This is particularly so with men rather than women in my experience and reading. Men preen themselves on their comparisons so often rather than developing their self-talk and self-acceptance of whom they are, dropping the image of what they wished or regret, and being friends with themselves and others, kings or knaves !

But, if one can kill off both Lothario or ego, with a smile as you farewell them....... it is quite nice to be friends with yourself.

I will not labor the point, but women seem to both adjust and hold their self-connection as they age with more skill, and with a frame work or community around them.

Alone can be a friend when some self satisfaction is developed and your conversation with self is less critical or comparitive with an ideal, which has little proof.

Loneliness is harder and speeds up, if you are not careful, like a topping of a hill, and fast decline, with all the sights, sounds, and enjoyments of life rushing by without attention and enjoyment, while you grip the wheel tightly hoping not to crash.

Its a sensory state that need not be more inhabited than an hour or a day. Its eradication requires your mind and your courage. A reach out, a good book, a self-talk of the merits and pleasures and memories, a collection of the leadership you have over your self talk, and of course, to my readers, the connection with you LAC, where you can swallow any sense of shame or comparison and have a conversation, join an activity, or just state........ I am lonely today!

It is human to be, at least to feel, both lonely and alone at times.
Keep them apart, add your experiences and the sweetnesses of your life so far, present or past. While not being a friend or companion both conditions can be something you wave at rather than be overwhelmed by.

By John Tapper, Board Member

Acknowledging the amazing effort and commitment demonstrated by our members.

Joan Smith - Mornington

Joan joined Mornington LAC in 2010 and filled the vacancy for secretary soon afterwards.  She has served on the Committee for a total of 9 years, during seven of which she was the Secretary.

During Joans time on the Committee she applied for and received a Government Volunteers Grant for the Club which kick started the purchasing of laptops for key members of the Committee, allowing them to be handed over to the next incumbent, and sound equipment for our Members Meetings. 

She also initiated the Club participating in the Australia Day Parade held in Mornington, a nomination for the Regional Achievement Awards and the updating of the club flyer to promote MLAC to the public.

Joan enjoys playing table tennis on Friday mornings and the companionship of dine outs and lunches with fellow members.

She has now stepped down from the role and handed over to the next generation of Committee members, and is looking forward to enjoying the many varied activities that MLAC provide for its members.